Casting Insights and Actor Tips

Jaclyn: 00:00:00

Welcome to the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast.

Jaclyn: 00:00:02

My name is Jaclyn, and today we are here with part two of our interview with Susan Willis.

Jaclyn: 00:00:08

And so last time we were talking a bit about, um, mama Bear Casting, that's her casting agency where she was doing a lot of background casting for a while and then moved into casting for other roles.

Jaclyn: 00:00:20

Um, but something really cool that Susan does.

Jaclyn: 00:00:23

Is help actors understand what goes on in the back end of the, the software in the industry for, casting.

Jaclyn: 00:00:32

So Susan, can you help us understand like what is it that, someone in casting looks at when an actor is wanting to submit for a role or, an audition?

Susan: 00:00:44

Sure.

Susan: 00:00:45

Um, I think the first thing for actors to understand is when you hear casting directors or managers or agents speak, they will use the term breakdowns.

Susan: 00:00:55

So actors access, it's actually the platform is called Breakdowns.

Susan: 00:00:58

So I would go into breakdowns.

Susan: 00:01:00

It's a whole different login.

Susan: 00:01:02

Actors access.

Susan: 00:01:03

If people can think of actors access as public access.

Susan: 00:01:06

So one of the things that casting directors can do, and many of them will do this, is when they type up a casting call and they release it, it's not always released to the general public, also known as actors access.

Jaclyn: 00:01:20

Okay.

Susan: 00:01:20

They can release it on breakdowns, only breakdowns.

Susan: 00:01:24

And the only people who will see that are agents and managers.

Jaclyn: 00:01:28

Okay.

Susan: 00:01:28

release it on the breakdown side of the platform.

Susan: 00:01:32

To not be confused with actors access.

Susan: 00:01:35

Now a lot of smaller productions that might be trying to recruit people who may not have agents, they will release it on the actor's access side.

Susan: 00:01:43

And it's very common to release it to both, both platforms.

Susan: 00:01:48

But if you do not have an agent, nobody has access to breakdowns except for agents and managers and casting.

Susan: 00:01:56

So, what I see is different than what.

Susan: 00:01:59

My agent would see, or what my manager would see, and when an agent sees it, they don't have the time to sit here and call that talent.

Susan: 00:02:06

Hey Susan, I saw a breakdown.

Susan: 00:02:07

Do you want me to submit you for it?

Susan: 00:02:08

It's filming, da, da da.

Susan: 00:02:09

No, they just, they just submit their talent.

Susan: 00:02:12

I call it dropping your name in the hat.

Susan: 00:02:15

You gotta drop your name in the hat.

Susan: 00:02:16

You don't know when your agent or your manager has dropped your name in the hat.

Susan: 00:02:21

if say it's a hard to fill role or it maybe it's not a high paying job.

Susan: 00:02:24

A lot of agents they may not really.

Susan: 00:02:27

Wanna be working for a $50 a day job, you know, or $75 a day a student film that's no pay, it's gonna be just credit copy.

Susan: 00:02:35

Hey, there is no shame in taking those no paid gigs to get your footage for your reels and

Susan: 00:02:40

things like that.

Susan: 00:02:41

then it's gonna be released on actors access.

Susan: 00:02:43

A lot of the lower thing, the regular actors access.

Susan: 00:02:46

So that's the general public.

Susan: 00:02:48

You can wake up tomorrow, you can build a profile for free, and you can start seeing casting calls immediately.

Susan: 00:02:54

so, What I always encourage newer people to do especially, is go ahead and create that profile and start looking at how they're worded.

Susan: 00:03:02

You know, get, familiar with the terminology on there.

Susan: 00:03:04

There is so much information and what I like to show, especially on a Zoom call or a set consulting session, is I'll pull up a casting call and I'll say, look, you can already see who the people are behind it.

Susan: 00:03:16

You can see if there's any nudity involved because that's a box.

Susan: 00:03:19

Casting has to check if there's any nudity anywhere.

Susan: 00:03:22

There are a lot of vetting going on on the backend.

Susan: 00:03:25

I had to submit my driver's license and prove who I am.

Susan: 00:03:28

So Mama Bear is really more of my, we'll call it my stage name for casting.

Susan: 00:03:32

I

Susan: 00:03:32

couldn't put Mama Bear on Breakdowns.

Susan: 00:03:34

It had to be Susan Willis.

Susan: 00:03:36

So

Susan: 00:03:37

I can vouch that Actors access really Vets who.

Susan: 00:03:41

Puts a casting call out there to begin with.

Susan: 00:03:43

There's just a vetting process and training you have to do to make sure that you do it properly and they have a wonderful customer service.

Susan: 00:03:50

but now a lot of other platforms I can't vouch for because I don't know, I haven't

Susan: 00:03:54

used anything else.

Susan: 00:03:55

Um, you know, and of course Facebook, you can find anything, you know, on social media.

Susan: 00:04:00

But anyway, I encourage people to understand what the breakdown looks like.

Susan: 00:04:04

Make sure that you're available for the callback date range.

Susan: 00:04:07

Make sure you're available for the filming.

Susan: 00:04:10

Make sure you're willing to get there on your own if that's a, requirement before you even drop your name in the hat.

Susan: 00:04:17

so many people will they, they just see something get excited.

Susan: 00:04:21

Oh, I fit, I wanna submit.

Susan: 00:04:23

Now, if you don't have the annual subscription, you're paying like $2 just to drop your name in the hat.

Susan: 00:04:29

Then if you get an audition, you have to pay more just to send your audition in, you know?

Susan: 00:04:35

and so you want to be serious about what you wanna submit for.

Susan: 00:04:40

And there's a little button that's now, not all casting offices use it, but there is a little button that says, confirm.

Susan: 00:04:47

Your audition, you wanna confirm that you've, that you're going to do it or you can decline on this particular platform.

Susan: 00:04:55

You can.

Susan: 00:04:55

Um, I highly recommend if you can't do it after all is said and done, or you received the sides to audition and there's something that you just don't agree with or you would rather not, or your date range availability has changed, go ahead and decline.

Susan: 00:05:12

There is no shame in declining.

Susan: 00:05:13

Now, actress access will ask you for a reason.

Susan: 00:05:16

That is not the place to put.

Susan: 00:05:18

I don't agree with this storyline, and that is against my belief.

Susan: 00:05:21

No, no, no.

Susan: 00:05:22

You just put unavailable for the shoot dates.

Susan: 00:05:25

Simple as that.

Susan: 00:05:26

Or no

Susan: 00:05:27

longer available, and

Susan: 00:05:29

you just put that, but you have to put a reason why that doesn't necessarily put an X marks on you.

Susan: 00:05:34

But now if you have an agent, most times I would email my agent and say, I need to decline this.

Susan: 00:05:40

For whatever reason, I put decline on the platform and say, no longer available, but then I will email my agent and tell them why.

Susan: 00:05:48

Then they can at least note that and remember that it could be something simple of,

Susan: 00:05:54

I booked something different

Susan: 00:05:55

or last minute out of town or whatever.

Susan: 00:05:58

Um, so making sure your head shots are wonderful.

Susan: 00:06:04

Really good head shots.

Susan: 00:06:05

fill the material out, you know, make sure you have a well-rounded resume, and if nothing else, oh, this is something that I saw a lot is I would see all these credits on a resume directed by the same person.

Susan: 00:06:19

It's great, but that tells me that your friend is making films and making you the star that doesn't necessarily make you a good actor.

Susan: 00:06:26

Lots of credits does not make a good actor.

Susan: 00:06:29

Then they would leave training blank.

Susan: 00:06:31

So put your training, all of your training, and in the acting industry, training means not just a, taking a masterclass where you just sat and watched videos all day long.

Susan: 00:06:43

It doesn't mean attending a seminar where you just listen to a speaker.

Susan: 00:06:47

Training is interactive.

Susan: 00:06:48

It should be interactive where you did some work, you got feedback, you spoke with the coach or the instructor.

Susan: 00:06:54

That kind of training.

Susan: 00:06:56

Um, I like to vote for the underdog, and if I see training, but I don't see a whole lot of credits, I can still extend an audition and go, well, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

Susan: 00:07:05

Maybe they'll just send me a wonderful audition and I'll get them their first really good credit.

Jaclyn: 00:07:10

Yeah.

Jaclyn: 00:07:10

Yeah.

Susan: 00:07:11

I'm rooting for the underdog, but too many actors are too proud of their, credits and they

Susan: 00:07:15

forget to put their training on there.

Jaclyn: 00:07:17

Okay, that's a really good point.

Jaclyn: 00:07:20

And so then is there anything, let's say, um, you know, if you get a ton of submissions, is there anything that automatically would be like a reason that you would just dismiss them easily?

Susan: 00:07:35

For me after I've already had a conversation with, say, the director and the producer, if anybody, I mean, I see a literal, a thumbnail like the size of a postage stamp.

Susan: 00:07:45

Um, of a headshot, so I can immediately go through and weed that out.

Susan: 00:07:50

But there are a few filters.

Susan: 00:07:52

Um, I can filter out if this is a non-union project and I specifically need to have non-union because Production says, don't even look at union actors.

Susan: 00:08:02

We can't Taft-Hartley them or whatever.

Susan: 00:08:05

I can go through and I can filter out any union actors

Jaclyn: 00:08:08

Right.

Jaclyn: 00:08:09

Okay.

Susan: 00:08:09

If I only wanna look at union actors because it's a union project, I can filter those out.

Jaclyn: 00:08:14

Mm-hmm.

Susan: 00:08:15

I can look for a specific agency.

Susan: 00:08:18

If I favor an agency, I can filter and go, oh, well, X, Y, Z agency always sends me really good talent.

Susan: 00:08:24

I wanna look at them first

Susan: 00:08:27

so I can filter that.

Susan: 00:08:28

Or if They talk about these four boxes that actors wanna have checked, and when it's your

Jaclyn: 00:08:32

Mm-hmm.

Susan: 00:08:33

A photo, a resume, a slate shot, and a demo reel.

Susan: 00:08:37

So those are four boxes that actors are always encouraged to check those boxes because that makes you pop up first.

Susan: 00:08:44

It depends on how casting is sorting their page.

Susan: 00:08:48

I have a love-hate relationship with the slate shots because some people, the slate shot is it literally seven seconds of you just slating your name.

Susan: 00:08:55

Hi, I'm Susan Willis.

Susan: 00:08:58

It is an opportunity for casting to hear your voice, to see what you sound like.

Susan: 00:09:03

Um, to hear how to say your name if you happen to have a hard to pronounce name.

Susan: 00:09:07

I've actually seen some actors try to use those seven seconds and insert demo footage in there, which is

Susan: 00:09:13

silly.

Susan: 00:09:13

It's so silly.

Susan: 00:09:15

Your first one is

Jaclyn: 00:09:16

Follow instructions, right?

Jaclyn: 00:09:17

You gotta follow instructions.

Susan: 00:09:19

Slate shots are not required.

Susan: 00:09:21

Um, but a lot of people get all cutesy with it, and they try to match a slate shot based on their headshot.

Susan: 00:09:28

Like if you look like a realtor, like, hi, I'm Susan, I have the next house.

Susan: 00:09:32

Right, right.

Susan: 00:09:33

Ready for you.

Susan: 00:09:33

Or if you're trying to come off flirty because your, your headshot looks flirty, your first one is free.

Susan: 00:09:39

After that, it's, uh, what, five or $10?

Susan: 00:09:42

You could go broke, just adding all these fun little headshots.

Susan: 00:09:45

They're cute, but they're not necessary.

Jaclyn: 00:09:48

Right.

Susan: 00:09:48

So, actors who have a profile on actors access and have actual material, it costs $22 a minute for demo reel footage, this is another reason why actors should be encouraged to keep your demo reel short.

Susan: 00:10:03

Demo real short, because if I see a five minute long demo reel, I know how much they paid to put it on there.

Susan: 00:10:09

It better be really, really good.

Susan: 00:10:12

It's $11

Susan: 00:10:13

a minute to put, um, audio, an audio clip up, a demo clip for your audio.

Susan: 00:10:18

So actors with footage are taking their career a little more seriously than actors with no footage, but it is not required.

Susan: 00:10:26

That's where that slate shot is handy.

Susan: 00:10:29

And I would recommend for actors to, don't waste your first slate shot.

Susan: 00:10:32

I wasted my first one just to get something up there and it's one slate shot per.

Susan: 00:10:38

Headshot.

Susan: 00:10:38

You can't say, I wanna use this light shot for all five headshots.

Susan: 00:10:42

So you need to be really selective.

Susan: 00:10:44

And some people would just go up and just throw whatever they, well, that's just what I had at the moment.

Susan: 00:10:49

I get it.

Susan: 00:10:50

I get it.

Susan: 00:10:51

I shaved my head one time.

Susan: 00:10:53

That's a whole nother story.

Susan: 00:10:54

So I had a buzz cut for a while and I had to just do something to get head shots temporarily until, but I couldn't pay for them as my hair was growing out.

Susan: 00:11:03

So I get it, but you don't wanna be sloppy.

Susan: 00:11:06

And that's something that would turn me off is if I see something sloppy and I see, I see you not really trying or your, your resume is all outta whack and the information you're putting, and that's something I really love to help actors do is let's clean that actor's access resume up.

Susan: 00:11:23

Your formatting is weird, or the way you're wording this, or this is redundant, you've got multiple talents and things listed here and there, or you're really stretching to put something there.

Susan: 00:11:34

You know, a good polished professional, keeping it simple, you know, what's that old AK acronym?

Susan: 00:11:39

Keep it simple, sweetie.

Jaclyn: 00:11:40

Yeah.

Susan: 00:11:40

It's

Jaclyn: 00:11:42

Yeah.

Jaclyn: 00:11:43

So is this part of the coaching that you're doing?

Susan: 00:11:45

yes.

Susan: 00:11:45

Yes, it's, it's that entry level.

Susan: 00:11:48

Let's get started on the right foot because I had to learn from all the mistakes, you know?

Susan: 00:11:54

oh, you had asked about sorting.

Susan: 00:11:55

So yes, you can sort with who has the most material, and those are those boxes that actors like to

Susan: 00:12:00

check.

Susan: 00:12:01

Um, and a lot of actors, if you have a photo and a resume and demo footage, you've got me hooked a little bit.

Susan: 00:12:08

I don't care that you don't have a slate shot.

Susan: 00:12:10

It's nice, but I don't care because.

Susan: 00:12:14

Mine filter the way, date, the earliest person to submit shows up first.

Susan: 00:12:20

That's how I have mine sorted.

Susan: 00:12:22

Um, but that's the other thing.

Susan: 00:12:23

Actors don't wait until, the last minute.

Susan: 00:12:26

If you see something pop up and you fit, submit sooner than later.

Jaclyn: 00:12:32

Yeah, absolutely.

Jaclyn: 00:12:33

I had the same thing when I was doing voice acting and I would see stuff come in if I did not like drop everything to submit for that immediately it will be gone by the time I submitted my audition.

Jaclyn: 00:12:48

Like stuff just, it goes so quickly.

Susan: 00:12:51

Well, I have this equation where, let's say, see casting has a deadline.

Susan: 00:12:56

Casting needs to get, Selections to the director by a certain date.

Susan: 00:13:02

'cause they need to make their decisions.

Susan: 00:13:03

And depending on how much paperwork is involved, you know, if it's union and they've got a clear actors.

Susan: 00:13:09

Um, so let's just say I post a brand new casting call on Monday.

Susan: 00:13:14

Well people within the first 24 hours, that's gonna be the bulk of submissions.

Susan: 00:13:18

'cause actors, you know, we're, we're refreshing actors access all day

Susan: 00:13:21

long.

Susan: 00:13:22

Is there anything new?

Susan: 00:13:22

Anything new?

Susan: 00:13:23

Anything new?

Susan: 00:13:24

And you don't know when your agent's gonna send you one too.

Susan: 00:13:26

So if you're self submitting and your agent submits you, you could, um, I caution actors, if you see a project that has five or a bunch of roles that you fit, be careful.

Susan: 00:13:37

You might not wanna submit to all of them because they could ask you to audition or all of them, and they're all gonna have the same due date.

Susan: 00:13:44

So be careful and select, be as selective as possible.

Susan: 00:13:48

Maybe only submit for one, maybe two, but let's say I have to get, um, choices to the director by the following Monday.

Susan: 00:13:57

So I post it on Monday.

Susan: 00:13:59

I also have to have my sides ready to send out.

Susan: 00:14:02

I have to have that coveted c ready to go typed up with all the instructions and, and map out, okay, this is the, taping instructions.

Susan: 00:14:11

I want you to slate a full body or whatever, whatever.

Susan: 00:14:13

I ask for, two takes, one take whatever.

Susan: 00:14:16

I have to have all that drafted, ready to go, but I don't start sending out one at a time.

Susan: 00:14:21

I'll give it about 24 hours, maybe 36 hours.

Susan: 00:14:25

While I'm making all my selections and I know, okay, then the audition deadline needs to be Friday because I need to have time to watch them.

Susan: 00:14:35

So that audition is gonna be due Friday.

Susan: 00:14:38

I might send this emails out Tuesday night and give 'em Friday as the deadline.

Susan: 00:14:42

Well, anybody that starts submitting Tuesday and Wednesday, they're still gonna have the same deadline.

Susan: 00:14:48

I can't.

Susan: 00:14:49

I mean, it's, it's.

Susan: 00:14:50

It's time consuming to go and change the audition deadline, so actors who submit late have less time to prepare, if that makes sense.

Jaclyn: 00:15:00

Yeah, absolutely.

Jaclyn: 00:15:02

is there anything else about like your coaching and stuff that you'd like to get into?

Susan: 00:15:06

Oh my goodness.

Susan: 00:15:07

Um, I will preface that.

Susan: 00:15:10

Although I like to teach the craft of acting, I don't teach a specific technique of acting.

Susan: 00:15:17

I have done some Meisner training myself, and I've done some mixed methods, and I tip my toe in lots of different varieties.

Susan: 00:15:24

I believe in a well-rounded actor's tool belt um, use a mixture of things.

Susan: 00:15:30

I do teach the foundations, you know, we'll call it, I will do a consult session to.

Susan: 00:15:36

Look over your package, assuming you have a package.

Susan: 00:15:39

but if you wanna just get started, then we'll talk about getting a package together.

Susan: 00:15:45

Uh, parents, my consult tomorrow is with a parent, of a, a minor.

Susan: 00:15:50

And so it's more of letting that parent know what they're getting into.

Susan: 00:15:53

But I have also structured some acting classes where I wanna provide a safe space for actors to play using the techniques and methods they're learning.

Susan: 00:16:04

In other classes, I will provide scripts and just help them see it a different way.

Susan: 00:16:10

I know I've been doing this long enough to where it's pretty easy for me to find a second take when casting wants to give two contrasting takes to something, and so I'll help.

Susan: 00:16:21

Simplify things to help actors not get in their heads.

Susan: 00:16:24

Simplify it.

Susan: 00:16:26

Um, I borrowed, something from one of my actors, coaches and made an acronym of how to remember what to cover before you approach, uh, your material.

Susan: 00:16:35

So.

Susan: 00:16:36

I have a few classes that I, teach on Zoom, and I like to keep my student size maybe four to six people.

Susan: 00:16:43

That way everybody gets a lot of individual attention.

Susan: 00:16:45

So I'll select scripts for people based on roles they'd like to do or want to do or previous auditions, and we'll just work with that.

Susan: 00:16:54

So I won't teach a specific technique, but we just talk about, now let's put it to use, let's put it to use.

Susan: 00:17:01

let's take all the training that you've had.

Susan: 00:17:03

Now let's actually work on, on some sides.

Jaclyn: 00:17:06

Mm-hmm.

Susan: 00:17:07

And those are always fun.

Susan: 00:17:08

And I love seeing these eureka moments in actors as they're like, oh, I didn't even think about it that way because the

Susan: 00:17:14

coach that I brought to town, you know, I've done so many of her classes where now when I bring her to town, I can't be a student.

Susan: 00:17:21

It's hard for me to be a student because my mama bear is like, did everybody find the location?

Susan: 00:17:25

Okay.

Susan: 00:17:25

Does everybody know where the restroom is?

Susan: 00:17:26

You only have water.

Susan: 00:17:27

Okay, let me just, Float the class.

Susan: 00:17:30

And I said, I felt the need to ask her permission.

Susan: 00:17:32

I said, do you mind if I start teaching some classes?

Susan: 00:17:36

Um, nowhere near the level.

Susan: 00:17:38

I'll get them ready for you.

Susan: 00:17:40

She's more advanced.

Susan: 00:17:41

and so I've started gathering a library of scripts and sides and finding those, for people.

Susan: 00:17:48

Uh.

Susan: 00:17:48

I feel confident enough now she, with her, I thought, well, how does she come up with all of these really cool angles to approach the script from?

Susan: 00:17:56

And now I feel pretty confident.

Susan: 00:17:59

It's like, oh, I can see it in a way others don't.

Susan: 00:18:01

And then they'll

Susan: 00:18:02

try it now.

Susan: 00:18:02

Oh, that worked.

Susan: 00:18:04

That

Jaclyn: 00:18:04

right, right.

Jaclyn: 00:18:05

see that's, that's what experience does, right.

Jaclyn: 00:18:08

yeah, that's fantastic.

Jaclyn: 00:18:09

You know, and helping people to get started and get set up is such a valuable, uh, mentor to have like.

Jaclyn: 00:18:17

I think for anybody that's wanting to pursue something, having somebody that is in your corner to be able to say, well, let's look at what you've got.

Jaclyn: 00:18:25

Let's see what you need.

Jaclyn: 00:18:26

How can we make this better so that we can get you to the next level?

Jaclyn: 00:18:30

And I, think that that's, one of the most.

Jaclyn: 00:18:32

Beneficial things is to have somebody that can help you get to that next level.

Jaclyn: 00:18:36

'cause it doesn't matter if somebody can help me get to 10 levels from now, because I'm not ready for that one, I'm only ready for the next one.

Jaclyn: 00:18:43

You know?

Susan: 00:18:45

Um,

Susan: 00:18:45

I kind of feel like a baby when it comes to the faith-based film world.

Susan: 00:18:49

So here I have this acting experience.

Susan: 00:18:51

I have this, I have an agent, I have a manager.

Susan: 00:18:54

Um, I've checked a lot of the boxes, but only about two years ago did I really seriously intentionally start having that urge to meet more faith-based filmmakers.

Susan: 00:19:04

I'll be honest with you, when I first started.

Susan: 00:19:07

There was a quote unquote, faith-based for a, a network that has changed names, came to town, and um, it was, it was a very corrupt production the people.

Susan: 00:19:20

And I started seeing a pattern of what people were calling faith-based was very ungodly behavior.

Susan: 00:19:27

And I helped on a horror film.

Susan: 00:19:30

Hot gluing talons to a gargoyle woman.

Susan: 00:19:33

And they were the most honest, friendly, kind people

Jaclyn: 00:19:37

Oh wow.

Susan: 00:19:38

So I had this image of faith-based filmmakers didn't know what they were doing, they didn't know how to work their equipment, they didn't understand the lingo.

Susan: 00:19:46

They made yucky films.

Susan: 00:19:48

Um, the people behind the camera were really corrupt and, and horrible.

Susan: 00:19:52

And it has taken a while for me to say, okay, let me give this another shot.

Jaclyn: 00:19:58

Rain.

Susan: 00:19:59

and that's when I had actually learned from Jen Godson Chandler.

Susan: 00:20:03

I did a class with her, gosh, 20, 20 18 probably.

Susan: 00:20:07

And I learned about ICFF and I went as a volunteer in 2019 and volunteered there.

Susan: 00:20:14

Um, a volunteer experience is very different than the

Susan: 00:20:17

participant experience, so I said the next year I wanna go as a participant, but.

Susan: 00:20:21

2020 happened Covid, all that 2021.

Susan: 00:20:24

I did not feel led to do that.

Susan: 00:20:26

And then I believe it was 2022 I started meeting Laura May, and I knew Laura May and I felt bonded.

Susan: 00:20:32

We shared an Airbnb there and I really felt connected and I wanted to help what she was doing, and I thought, I can't even compete.

Susan: 00:20:40

Beverly Holloway is the casting director, and if it's not Beverly, it's Laura, and if it's not her Jean Winger, you know, it's like I have no, I have.

Susan: 00:20:48

No real estate in this community, but I wanna do it so bad.

Susan: 00:20:52

Um, but I started learning and meeting and networking, and then when Venus started the powerhouse sisterhood suite and I started hearing them go into, you know, C-W-V-F-F and all these other festivals.

Susan: 00:21:06

I thought, well, I wanna go ahead and I might as well if I can allow it.

Susan: 00:21:09

I knew they existed, but I didn't want to spend the money or take the time off because I was auditioning regularly.

Susan: 00:21:15

And those conferences tend to happen during the busy audition season in mainstream media.

Susan: 00:21:21

So I didn't wanna take the time off.

Susan: 00:21:23

How dare I tell my agent I'm gonna take off to go to a Christian film festival?

Susan: 00:21:27

It just sounded silly in my head.

Susan: 00:21:29

Um, so I didn't want, I didn't wanna do that, but I finally, took the chance and maybe follow God.

Susan: 00:21:35

You know, he's like, I've been beating this over your head for 10 years now.

Susan: 00:21:38

It's finally time you listen to me.

Susan: 00:21:40

Um, and I attended, uh, C-W-V-F-F this year where got to finally meet you in person

Susan: 00:21:47

after meeting you through the sisterhood suite.

Susan: 00:21:49

And it was such a life changing experience.

Susan: 00:21:51

It was really, really amazing.

Susan: 00:21:53

And I started seeing and hearing legit knowledgeable.

Susan: 00:21:57

Good filmmakers and I went, okay, this was the world I wanted to meet 10 years ago, but I didn't, for some reason, I had to go and meet all this other side of filmmaking.

Susan: 00:22:09

And then I was able to attend content this past year as well.

Susan: 00:22:13

Now ICVM is on my radar and other things are on my radar to finally meet and network and just have community with this faith-based filmmakers.

Susan: 00:22:24

So I feel kind of reborn in a way, into this community.

Susan: 00:22:29

But at the same time, I have knowledge that I know I, I do have knowledge to share.

Susan: 00:22:34

I wanna share this novel and it, I didn't just wake up and start acting yesterday.

Susan: 00:22:39

so there was, there was that aspect, and so I'm really excited and that's why I say I'm just, I feel like I'm just swimming around waiting for God to go, okay, what direction am I gonna go?

Susan: 00:22:47

Do I get to go back to casting or do I get to stick with acting?

Susan: 00:22:51

You know, what do I do?

Jaclyn: 00:22:52

and what's your favorite, if you could choose?

Susan: 00:22:54

Oh my gosh, I can't pick.

Susan: 00:22:58

I've actually been dabbling in directing as well, so.

Susan: 00:23:01

I really like directing cause then I get to coach other actors

Jaclyn: 00:23:05

yeah.

Jaclyn: 00:23:06

That, you know, I think there is, I think there's a bit of a theme here.

Jaclyn: 00:23:09

I think, one of the gifts that you've been given is teaching.

Jaclyn: 00:23:12

It seems to be something that you're just drawn to it, like you could pursue your own thing, but In the midst of that, you want to teach and coach and nurture others.

Jaclyn: 00:23:23

And, uh, that's a, that's a real gift.

Jaclyn: 00:23:25

And I think that's such a servant attitude.

Jaclyn: 00:23:27

Uh, I think it's going to work well and I pray that, God can bless that on both sides, that, you know, you get to do acting and the directing and all the things that you wanna do, but then it also blesses the people around you in the process.

Susan: 00:23:41

Yeah, I'll, I'll take that.

Susan: 00:23:42

Let's hope so, because I'm not a writer as much as I try.

Susan: 00:23:45

I have an idea.

Susan: 00:23:46

Could you put that on paper?

Jaclyn: 00:23:47

Right, right,

Susan: 00:23:49

Not a writer.

Susan: 00:23:50

There's that producer director in me.

Jaclyn: 00:23:52

right.

Jaclyn: 00:23:52

So how can people find you?

Susan: 00:23:55

I am on Instagram, I am on Facebook, and of course I like good old fashioned email.

Susan: 00:24:02

I have an email specifically created mama bear office@gmail.com.

Susan: 00:24:09

Um, I had mama bear casting and mama bear office, but when I realized my casting email.

Susan: 00:24:15

Needed to be used for production to message me back and forth, and I couldn't get that mixed with casting, so I created

Susan: 00:24:20

Mama Bear office.

Susan: 00:24:22

So all my classes I run through Mama bear office@gmail.com.

Susan: 00:24:26

Um, I do have a personal email as well, but that's more for actor,

Susan: 00:24:29

Susan.

Jaclyn: 00:24:31

Right.

Jaclyn: 00:24:32

Yeah.

Jaclyn: 00:24:32

Obviously.

Jaclyn: 00:24:33

Yeah.

Jaclyn: 00:24:33

Well, I hope that people will contact you and, um, you know, make use of the mentorship that you offer, and yeah, it just sounds fantastic.

Jaclyn: 00:24:42

Thank you so much for being on our podcast.

Jaclyn: 00:24:44

I've enjoyed this conversation and getting to know you better.

Susan: 00:24:48

It's been a pleasure.